The Kingsport Cases - PChttps://www.gameinformer.com/games/the_kingsport_cases/b/pc/atom.aspxCommunity Server2013-05-28T22:32:19ZTerror On The Second Time Through/games/the_kingsport_cases/b/pc/archive/2013/05/28/the-kingsport-cases-aims-for-terror-on-the-second-playthrough.aspx2013-05-29T02:32:19Z2013-05-29T02:32:19Z<p><img style="max-width:610px;" src="http://media1.gameinformer.com/imagefeed/featured/machineinmotion/kingsportcases/KingsportCases610.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></p>
<p>Ask any horror fan about their favorite experiences, and you&#39;ll likely find most come from the first time through a game. The dogs jumping through the window in Resident Evil were scariest when we didn&#39;t know they were coming and the dentist in the original Bioshock won&#39;t likely make you jump out of your seat a second time.</p>
<p>Machines in Motion is working hard to solve that conundrum, and the small studio&#39;s first title, The Kingport Cases is the result. As a fan of Lovecraftian horror, I was drawn to try the free Alpha, and the setup is pitch perfect.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As an investigator, Alpha players are invited to a dinner party at Kingsport Manor. Each new game yields a different layout for the mansion (or one of three other locations in the final version), new characters in different roles, and a variety of placements for key items. On my first time through, I explored the basement first and was devoured by some disfigured, crawling humanoid.</p>
<p>My second attempt was more successful. The creepy placeholder figures, already terrifying in their own right, managed to pull off a jump scare. The rough visuals and almost comical appearance of the non-player characters are juxtaposed with a music sample that perfectly sets the tone.</p>
<p>The Kingsport Cases is very rough in its current form (it is an Alpha, after all), but underneath the temporary visuals is a concept that innovates on the horror genre. The title, which is currently nearing the end of its Kickstarter (and is currently just shy of 50% of the way to its modest $20,000 goal) has a great deal of potential.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you enjoy adventure games with a horror motif or have a longing for more Lovecraft in your life, it&#39;s worth playing through the Alpha and checking out the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1374511342/the-kingsport-cases?ref=live">Kickstarter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=143558159&amp;tscn=1368313082">Steam Greenlight</a> pages. More information about the project is also available on the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kingsportcases.com/p/news.html">official site</a>.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="https://www.gameinformer.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=2908000" width="1" height="1">GIMikehttps://www.gameinformer.com/members/GIMike/default.aspx